#Plant Water Monitor

[nft-token-22]

XLUX Soil Moisture Meter, Plant Water Monitor, Soil Hygrometer Sensor

The XLUX T10 humidity cadence tells you, incontinently, whether your shops need water. With this cadence, you'll know that occasionally though the top of the soil looks dry, just beneath the face it's veritably wet-- no wonder the shops are floundering. It's veritably easy to use, just stick it in the dirt and the dial incontinently tells you whether the soil is dry, wettish or wet. Easy To Use 1. Inset the inquiry of the cadence to the shops' root position 2. Note humidity position in the dial which has ten scales 3. Remove inquiry from soil and wipe clean after each use Tips 1. Avoid hard monuments when fitting inquiry as they may damage the inquiry 2. noway put this cadence into water. For some veritably loose soil, the reading may be inaccurate 3. Do not leave it in the soil for further than an hour for use. Features 1. Easy to read situations 2. No batteries demanded 3. Inner/ out-of-door use 4. Color enciphered reading system 5. For utmost shops Package Includes 1 x XLUX humidity Sensor Meter

XLUX Soil Moisture Meter

 Reliable and accurate seeing inquiry ensures accurate and instant testing results, matching for both inner or out-of-door use. Easy to read Large and clear dial, including ten scales, plug and read. How to use Simply fit the humidity cadence into soil and you will get the test affect incontinently. Help your shops grow healthy and strong. lower hurts Single inquiry, less hurts to the roots, does not dig up too important soil after test. Important tips 1. Don't use it to test veritably hard soil 2. noway use it to test water or other liquid. Designed for testing soil only. 3. After use, please wipe clean the inquiry.

[paterday]

Here’s the wip tank set up that I forgot to share…

[zenlesszonezero]

Join Zenless Zone Zero with Tsukishiro Yanagi, the deputy leader of Hollow Special Operations Section 6! Beneath her ordinary office lady exterior lies a meticulous, emotionally intelligent big sister to the team.

[cande-dooder]

Money plant update!!! They’re so tall now! And I think all my seeds germinated!

[carebearbussy]

𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙨

ᥫ᭡ 𝙨𝙮𝙥𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨: 𝙞𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙝… 𝙨𝙪𝙠𝙪𝙣𝙖𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙪𝙗𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙪𝙠𝙪𝙣𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙮.

ᥫ᭡ 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨: 𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙧𝙖! 𝙨𝙪𝙠𝙪𝙣𝙖 𝙭 𝙛𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙚! 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

ᥫ᭡ 𝙘𝙬: 𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙨𝙩, 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙬𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣, 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙 '𝙪𝙜𝙡𝙮' 𝙖𝙣𝙙 '𝙨𝙡𝙪𝙩', 𝙗𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜.

ᥫ᭡ 𝙬𝙘: 2.7k

𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚? 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙢𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

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Your day went as normal as usual.

You walked with you head held high, a pep in your step as you wondered around the large estate claimed by Sukuna. Alongside you, was one of your loyal handmaids, ordered by Sukuna to accompany you by default. It was early morning, as you heard the talkative birds chirp in the crisp air. It was very relaxing, especially for you, who was often picked on by your fellow concubines, who were supposed to support you.

As you stepped onto the stone walkway that led to your beloved garden, you noticed the flowers slightly dwindling in color, as the stems had lost their pin point shape. This made you frown, as you realize you had forgot to water them recently. Your handmaiden follows behind you respectfully, as you walk through the rows of colorful flowers.

"You must really enjoy the flowers, my lady." You handmaiden pointed out, coming to that conclusion as she had watched you tend to the flowers every day without fail. It was something she admired about you greatly, that being your calm nature, even under the circumstance of Sukuna wanting you to be monitored 24/7. She felt some sort of pity, even through her love for Lord Sukuna. "Yes, I am quite fond of them. They are very beautiful, but they look very dull today..." You say through your pouting.

You walk over to the gardening table over by the end of the conservatory, as you put on your gardening gloves, as well as putting your hair in a high ponytail. Your handmaiden looks at you with her head tilted, questioning your motives. "My lady, you should not be getting your hands dirty. I suggest you stick to watering instead of doing the dirty work." She said, worried about what Lord Sukuna would think if he saw his favorite consort getting her pretty hands dirty. You look over at her while carrying a bag of soil, walking over to the start of where the flowers were.

"Its fine, really. He wont even know I was here today, hes out for a business meeting. Uraume informed me he may not return for a couple of days." You said, reassuring her, as you kneel down to tend to the garden. "Okay, if it is what you wish..." She says, looking around to see if anybody was watching. "I will just stay here and keep watch."

As you patted down the soil, you sprinkled water over the plants, the glass of the garden house letting the sunlight shine in. You looked at your work as you were halfway through, proud of the work you had so far accomplished. But as you were admiring your handiwork, you heard a group of heavy footsteps walk into the large garden house. You were not expecting anybody else to come here except for you, so who was it. Oh, of course, its them.

A group of three notorious mid ranking concubines, followed by one high ranking one. You audibly sighed, knowing what would follow suite. They laughed when they saw the sight before them. Sukuna's favorite? Doing a maids work? It was laughable to them. Was this finally the moment Lord Sukuna kicked you to the curb, and realized your true worth? That was what they hoped for in the end, but for now, they had to have their moment of joy, which was picking on you.

"My, my, my. Look at what we have here. Little Y/N is out doing the work of those lower than her? What did you do to make Lord Sukuna that upset?" The lead woman spoke, cackling along with the other girls. Your face distorted into that of annoyance. You looked at the girl straight in the eyes, preparing to attempt to defend yourself. "Why are you all here? To ridicule me? If you must know, I chose to tend to the garden."

One of the girls standing behind the lead scoffs, stepping slightly forward. Looking at your handmaids, then to you. "You really are pathetic, if you must need that woman with you at all times." She says, gesturing her hand towards your handmaiden. Your handmaiden looks away, too afraid to talk back to the likes of somebody a higher rank than her. "It would be a damn shame if you got dirt on your precious face, it's already messed up, you aren't the prettiest woman ever." Another one adds in, creating more fuel to the fire by taking a jab at your appearance.

This stroke a nerve in you, your self esteem slowly crumbling as they go on. The lead concubine takes a step closer to your kneeling form, looking down on you as if you were nobody. She crouches down to your eye level, grabbing your chin on each side with her fingers. "I really don't see what Lord Sukuna saw in you. He must not be very interested in you anymore. You are nowhere near perfect. Especially after your massive weight gain." She says, knowing the damage she is doing to you. She lets go of your chin, pushing you slightly back. "It wont be long before he gets rid of you for good, hopefully as soon as possible. We don't need an ugly duckling the likes of you waddling around the well known beauty of Lord Sukuna's estate." She says, brushing astray dirt off her kimono, as the girls behind her laugh at her words.

You feel tears forming in your eyes, as you try your best to hold them back and to not lash out at the woman, you mouth hanging agape from shock. But you are not as slick as the woman currently standing before you. She looks at you, a smirk crossing her fair face in accomplishment. "Aw, whats wrong? Are you going to cry? Your already the biggest slut in the palace, I don't need to call you more hurtful things."

And this was the last push to send you over the edge, as you felt hot tears spill from your eyes. The girls laughed louder, mocking your weak state. You panicked, as you got up, pushing the woman out fo your way as you ran out of the garden house, your gloves still on, your ponytail messy. You ran as far away from the scene as you could, as your handmaiden ran after you, pure shock in her eyes. Embarrassment crept up your spine, as you ran all the way to the opposite side of the wing of the garden, out of sight from any onlookers. How were you to face anybody?

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You lay sorrowful in your large bed, curled up into a ball as you cradled your knees. Your eyes were puffy with sorrow, as warm tears streamed down your face, all the way down to your chest. Your nose was stuffy, snot running trickling down your nose. Used tissues covered the bed like a sea, as your handmaiden handed you more. She rubbed your back, as she sat on the edge of the bed watching you.

"My lady, please don't cry." She said, worried for you and your morale. You look up at her through wet eyelashes, as you sniffled into a half dirty tissue she held up for you. "Easy for you to say, you don't know what its like to be me. It feels like every single day, the people of the estate seem to hate me even more, and I try so hard to avoid it. I just don't know how to endure it anymore." You say, your lower lip quivering.

Your handmaiden looks at you pitifully. She feels like she knows you so well. She felt like your only true friend since being welcomed into Sukuna's estate. So it hurt to see you like this, especially after witnessing the unfair treatment you had received throughout your time here. The slow hand that once rubbed your back moved up to move the loose hair from your face, letting her see your full face out on display. But instead, you cover it, by moving your head more towards the pillows, the concubines words clearly getting to your head.

But she saw right though you. "My lady, the things those girls have said are simply untrue. I'm sure they were just saying that to get a rise out of you. They want what they cannot have, especially your close relationship with Lord Sukuna." You stop into your own world and think about it. Yes sure, you knew jealousy was a big factor in their distaste in you, but then why would they say such specific things? Were you truly all of those things they said you were?

"I'm sure it stemmed from what they truly want from you. All they want are reactions like these from you-" She says, but intervened by none other than the man himself, the head of the entire estate, Sukuna, who had came home unexpectedly earlier than usual.

Your handmaiden from what seems like instinct, immediately gets up to bow, anxiety filling her system for the largely built man standing before her. "Just what the hell do you think you are doing in my quarters uninvited?" He asks, unamused by the sudden appearance by anybody other than you. He looks down at her, waiting impatiently for an answer. "My lord, I was just tending to My lady, Y/N. She seemed in distress after a sudden altercation-" Without a second thought, he pushes her out of the way with his foot. Searching for you. He hears sorrowful sniffles coming from his large bed, as he raises his eyebrow in confusion. Who is in his bed? Ahh, it you, something must have happened.

You look up slightly from the bed to be greeted by Sukuna's broad stature, as you turn away from him, not wanting to face the fact that you failed to stand up for yourself. You had always made it a point to prove that you were strong willed, but this time around, you had failed. And failure is something you had feared around the likes of Sukuna.

He walks over to the opposite side of the bed that you were on, not wanting to upset you further, knowing how you become when you are upset. You try to muffle your sniffling, but to no avail. He looks at your chest rise and fall quickly, due to the nature of your fast breathing. A loud, audible sigh is heard behind you, the sound of it making chills creep up your spine. He then looks over at the handmaiden, who is still kneeling on the floor. "Leave." He says to her, as she quickly gets up to take her leave, not stopping to say anymore goodbyes.

He then looks back at you, who is unable to turn his way. "Whats wrong brat? Are you going to explain what happened, or are you just going to lay there like a sappy little thing." He says, crawling into bed, grabbing hold of your waist. He notices you flinching, keeping it in mind that when you are sad, you become sensitive to touch. He slowly brings you into his chest, your legs straddling his lower waist. Your body shakes as you hide your face within his chest, getting his robe wet with your snot.

"Look at me." He orders you, clearly not liking the mood you are in. But you don't move. Instead, you move your head side to side, still hiding your face from sight. Your head nuzzles further into his chest, as you move your arms to either side of his waist, hugging him deeply as you inhale his scent. You feel your tears keep running, as you use his robe to wipe them. "I told you to look at me, I wont repeat myself a third time." He said, sternly informing you. You didn't want to upset him, so you slowly look up at him, barely being able to hold eye contact. His eyebrows slightly furrow, as he slightly adjusts himself on the bed.

"Christ, what happened to you woman?" He says, using his upper left hand to wipe away the tears staining your face. He brushed his thumb over your cheek, but quickly stopping realizing how intimate that was. You hesitated before you spoke. "Its just... there are these girls, and I feel like ever since you became a part of my life, I have been tormented by them." You said, the thought of them ridiculing you flooding back into your mind like a storm, causing more tears to flood your waterline. "Torment? How so?" He asks, wanting to hear more.

"Like today for example, I was just trying to tend to the garden, and they came in and- its just- its complicated." You said, not wanting to spill the full details, worried of his reaction. "What did those woman do." He said. It was more of him trying to figure out what happened, than a question towards you. But you felt your emotions run high, causing you to completely unfold before Sukuna. "They came in, and they basically told me I would never amount to anything, and how i'm ugly, and that I gained weight recently."

He looks at you, his upper lip curling into that of disgust for what he just heard. You? Ugly? Never amount to anything? Gaining weight? This was all ridiculous to him. He would never truly understand why you were upset at being called those things, but he particularly did not like the reaction you had to it. Seeing you cry, for some reason, tore on his heart strings hard. Your emotions ran through him like an electrical current. He lowered his back into the mattress, still holding you tight.

"That has to be one of the most absurd things I have heard in my years of living. You are none of those things. Why would I care about such laughable things. You're my woman, nobody else is able to judge you, except for me."

You look at him with glossy eyes, as you place your hands over his chest, which had a wet patch due to the mixture of your snot and tears. You felt your lip quiver all over again at his words, thus resting your face on one side of his chest. You let all your tears run out, as you felt yourself quietly wail at the hands of Sukuna. He placed a large hand over your back, massaging your back, soothing you simultaneously.

"Thats it, let it all out. God, you look so weak right now, its quite endearing." He says, a slight smile being hidden from your field of vision. You grip onto the ridges of his robe, using it to try to grab onto something. His lower hands grip each side of your bottom, holding you for leverage. As he massaged your back, he pet your hair with his other top hand. Your hair was always one of his favorite things about you, which is something that stuck in your head. The words of your handmaiden ran through your head as well;

'They want what they cannot have, especially your close relationship with Lord Sukuna.'

It was true after all. And you will come to realize that as time goes on. How lucky did you get to become Sukuna's most favored? Any other girl in your situation would think the same way. Especially the way he is giving you so much attention. It makes you so happy. Knowing those girls would give anything to be in your situation. You felt like a princess.

You felt yourself fall into deep slumber, the comfort of your thoughts, along with Sukuna's relaxing hold bringing you comfort in moments like these. He looks down at you as he notices you had seized your crying. He thinks about moving from his spot, but decides against it, not wanting to ruin your beauty sleep. You needed this, he thinks. And he was right. He brushes the hair that covers your ear out of the way with his hand, as he leans down to whisper into your sleeping form.

"You can trust, those woman will be dealt with accordingly."

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(𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙄 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙥𝙩 2?)

[reasonsforhope]

"Many people know about the Yellowstone wolf miracle. After wolves were reintroduced to the national park in the mid-1990s, streamside bushes that had been grazed to stubble by out-of-control elk populations started bouncing back. Streambank erosion decreased. Creatures such as songbirds that favor greenery along creeks returned. Nearby aspens flourished.

While there is debate about how much of this stemmed from the wolves shrinking the elk population and how much was a subtle shift in elk behavior, the overall change was dramatic. People were captivated by the idea that a single charismatic predator’s return could ripple through an entire ecosystem. The result was trumpeted in publications such as National Geographic.

But have you heard about the sea otters and the salt marshes? Probably not.

It turns out these sleek coastal mammals, hunted nearly to extinction for their plush pelts, can play a wolf-like role in rapidly disappearing salt marshes, according to new research. The findings highlight the transformative power of a top predator, and the potential ecosystem benefits from their return.

“It begs the question: In how many other ecosystems worldwide could the reintroduction of a former top predator yield similar benefits?” said Brian Silliman, a Duke University ecologist involved in the research.

The work focused on Elk Slough, a tidal estuary at the edge of California’s Monterey Bay. The salt marsh lining the slough’s banks has been shrinking for decades. Between 1956 and 2003, the area lost 50% of its salt marshes.

Such tidal marshes are critical to keeping shorelines from eroding into the sea, and they are in decline around the world. The damage is often blamed on a combination of human’s altering coastal water flows, rising seas and nutrient pollution that weakens the roots of marsh plants.

But in Elk Slough, a return of sea otters hinted that their earlier disappearance might have been a factor as well. As many as 300,000 sea otters once swam in the coastal waters of western North America, from Baja California north to the Aleutian Islands. But a fur trade begun by Europeans in the 1700s nearly wiped out the animals, reducing their numbers to just a few thousand by the early 1900s. Southern sea otters, which lived on the California coast, were thought to be extinct until a handful were found in the early 1900s.

In the late 1900s, conservation organizations and government agencies embarked on an effort to revive the southern sea otters, which remain protected under the Endangered Species Act. In Monterey Bay, the Monterey Bay Aquarium selected Elk Slough as a prime place to release orphaned young sea otters taken in by the aquarium.

As the otter numbers grew, the dynamics within the salt marsh changed. Between 2008 and 2018, erosion of tidal creeks in the estuary fell by around 70% as otter numbers recovered from just 11 animals to nearly 120 following a population crash tied to an intense El Niño climate cycle.

While suggestive, those results are hardly bulletproof evidence of a link between otters and erosion. Nor does it explain how that might work.

To get a more detailed picture, the researchers visited 5 small tidal creeks feeding into the main slough. At each one, they enclosed some of the marsh with fencing to keep out otters, while other spots were left open. Over three years, they monitored the diverging fates of the different patches.

The results showed that otter presence made a dramatic difference in the condition of the marsh. They also helped illuminate why this was happening. It comes down to the otters’ appetite for small burrowing crabs that live in the marsh.

Adult otters need to eat around 25% of their body weight every day to endure the cold Pacific Ocean waters, the equivalent of 20 to 25 pounds. And crabs are one of their favorite meals. After three years, crab densities were 68% higher in fenced areas beyond the reach of otters. The number of crab burrows was also higher. At the same time, marsh grasses inside the fences fared worse, with 48% less mass of leaves and stems and 15% less root mass, a critical feature for capturing sediment that could otherwise wash away, the scientists reported in late January in Nature.

The results point to the crabs as a culprit in the decline of the marshes, as they excavate their holes and feed on the plant roots. It also shows the returning otters’ potential as a marsh savior, even in the face of rising sea levels and continued pollution. In tidal creeks with high numbers of otters, creek erosion was just 5 centimeters per year, 69% lower than in creeks with fewer otters and a far cry from earlier erosion of as much as 30 centimeters per year.  

“The return of the sea otters didn’t reverse the losses, but it did slow them to a point that these systems could restabilize despite all the other pressures they are subject to,” said Brent Hughes, a biology professor at Sonoma State University and former postdoctoral researcher in Silliman’s Duke lab.

The findings raise the question of whether other coastal ecosystems might benefit from a return of top predators. The scientists note that a number of these places were once filled with such toothy creatures as bears, crocodiles, sharks, wolves, lions and dolphins. Sea otters are still largely absent along much of the West Coast.

As people wrestle to hold back the seas and revive their ailing coasts, a predator revival could offer relatively cheap and effective assistance. “It would cost millions of dollars for humans to rebuild these creek banks and restore these marshes,” Silliman said of Elk Slough. “The sea otters are stabilizing them for free in exchange for an all-you-can-eat crab feast.”"

-via Anthropocene Magazine, February 7, 2024

[envirocareindia]

Effluent Treatment Plant in Madurai

Enviro Care India Pvt Ltd is a leading environmental solutions company based in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, providing a range of services, including Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) solutions.

ETP is an advanced water treatment process that aims to minimize water waste and conserve resources. This article will provide an overview of ETP technology, its importance, and the services offered by Enviro Care India Pvt Ltd for ETP solutions.

Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) is an advanced water treatment process that aims to minimize water waste and conserve resources by removing contaminants and impurities from wastewater, resulting in a cleaner and more reusable water.

The ETP process can include a variety of treatment technologies, including sedimentation, filtration, and biodegradation, depending on the specific wastewater treatment needs. The resulting treated water can be reused or recycled, reducing the need for additional water resources.

Get In Touch With Us

Enviro Care India Private Limited

Address: 43, Second Street, Harvey Nagar, Arasaradi, Madurai – 625 016.

Phone: +91 99948 96266 |+91 99948 96252

Mail: info@envirocareindia.com

Website: www.envirocareindia.com

[jellyfishoreo1206]

Home? (Sebastian Solace x Reader)

Notes: Small Drabble, Sebby and Painter really need their happy ending guys :(

Credit to @cafekitsune for the divider ^^

Tears fell down your cheeks when the scene of nature invaded your senses. It felt so . . . overwhelming to be back home. After agonizing day after agonizing day down in that hellhole. The gently swaying of the trees, the soft chirps of the birds and the sound of rushing water greeting your ears contrasted greatly to the sounds of the empty ocean and horrifying screams that seemed to ring out days on end; finally seeing colors that aren't grey; the fresh smell of the trees and plants invading your sense of smell made you forget the strong smell of iron and saltwater that seemed to be present in every room.

Yeah . . . you were finally home.

With company, too. Risking a glance over to Sebastian, in his hands was the monitor of Painter, memories flood your brain that lead up to this exact moment. UrbanShade saw him as too much as a threat to the company, so much that they had sent out several EXR-P's to attempt to kill him only to fail miserably. You happened to be one of those EXR-P's. But you weren't able to go through with it, you read his file before being sent out. How he was accused of a crime he didn't commit, to being mutated beyond belief whilst in a great immense of pain, to being treated like an animal by the personnel of the company.

So when you finally encountered the man, you simply took the gun out of its holster, and handed it over to him with no hesitation. When he asked? You simply told him you refuse to be another chess piece for a company that has brought him suffering, and you wished to help him go against them.

He laughed at you for a good minute, calling you stupid for thinking that your, "little trick", would work on him of all people.

---

"Then shoot me." Those words seemed to snap him out of his laughter, bewildered bright eyes snapping in your direction when those words tumbled out, meeting determined eyes "If you believe me to be the same as those of UrbanShade," You took a step closer to him, giving him the opportunity to shoot you at point-blank, "-then shoot me dead."

---

Ever since, you teamed up against the company—though he helped take out the chip before you could proceed any further, saying how it was too much of a risk that they could be listening in—gathering any pieces of data you could potentially use against them in exchange for your freedom. It seemed to have become easier when Painter joined the cause.

An opportunity soon made itself known, months spent preparing for this one moment, none of you could mess it up. You only had one chance at succeeding. No mess-ups were allowed. It was a grueling process, but you pushed forward, determined to see the light of the sun.

And it worked. A few injuries here and there, but you now had the crystal in your possession. Once the personal heard wind of it, they immediately doubled their efforts to get their grubby hands on the crystal, like a school of piranhas going after a piece of dead meat. Though their efforts ceased when Sebastian threatened to break it with no hesitation, unless they met your demands.

Freedom, a duffel with $XXXXXX of cash and a computer for Painter to use. No chips, no trackers, no bombs, nothing. Unless they want their precious crystal to be destroyed.

And once you finally stepped foot on the surface? You let Painter and Sebastian do what they've wanted to do for a loooonng time; releasing every single piece of data that UrbanShade had to offer to the public.

It spread in a span of minutes.

The government found out about the operation Urbanshade was running, helping you all with building a case against them. The court date was set, so now you could only wait.

Now all that was left to do was watch them burn, in your old farmhouse within the woods, finally free from their clutches.

"Ready to start all over?" You were only met with silence, only the noises of the woods answering you, maybe he didn't hear you. But a glance proved you wrong, his face said everything. There was an unbelievably soft look on his face, his eyes scanning everything that surrounded him; his bottom lip seemed to tremble slightly as an overwhelming tsunami of emotions hit him all at once when the fact he was on the surface again sunk in. His eyes taking on a glassy look, his frame now trembling, holding onto Painter to make sure the AI didn't fall.

Painter only let out a sound of awe at their surrounding, their giggles echoing into the woods when a yellow butterfly landed on the frame of their screen, opening and closing its wings before flying off.

Smiling softly, you intertwined your fingers with Sebastians bigger one, giving it a small squeeze to pull him back to Earth. Taking a deep breath, he straightened his back, readjusting his hold on the computer before looking over at you.

". . . Yeah," A slight crack was heard in his voice, clearing his throat before speaking again, "-yeah I'm ready."

"Let's go home then." Heading towards the worn out path, you missed the look Sebastian made at the mention of home. Home, how long has he thought about home? The safety of one, the shelter of one, the warmth of one?

"Home?"

"Yeah, home."

Next Part

[mellifiedprincess]

REALLY SHORT BUT SAPPY SHIT! and boob talk for like 2 seconds.

Opening the door to the house you share with the boys, you immediately take notice of the lack of noise that usually takes place.

You can’t say you’re not a little bit grateful, especially after working a 12 hour shift as a peds nurse. It was not a good day to say the least. All you wanted in that very moment was a hot shower and to be wrapped up in the arms of your ridiculously handsome boyfriend.

Closing the door to the garage, you walk over to Chris’s door and softly knock waiting to hear a response. “Yeah?” You peek your head in and see the boy at his desk, headset on and eyes focused on the monitor in front of him. “Oh, hey Y/N/N- Yeah, she just walked in.” Chris replies to you and then who you assume to be Matt through the headset. “Hey Chrissy, just checking in before I head upstairs. You okay?” This was part of your nightly routine. You couldn’t really remember when it started, but you always had to check on Chris and Nick before going to bed. Otherwise you couldn’t sleep.

“Yeah, I’m good. Matt’s yelling in my ear right now asking for you to hurry up. Kids acting like you just got back from war.” You let out a soft laugh at his remark. “I need to check on Nick, then I’ll be in there.” “Oh Nicks gone. He went to hang out with Larray and Arrington.”

“Alright. Well, try to get some sleep. You guys have that really important meeting tomorrow morning.”

“Oh shit! I totally forgot about that. Thanks.” You nod your head and you both say goodnight, before you turn and finally make your way to your bedroom.

When you open the door, your eyes find Matt’s already staring at you. He looks so…soft. Soft and warm and inviting. “Finally!” He huffs out. You can’t help but laugh at him as you walk over to where he sits at his desk. “I missed you so much today.” His voice is muffled by his face being smushed into your stomach, his arms tightly wrapped around you as if you were gonna leave him.

“I missed you too angel.” Your fingers push his hair away from his forehead, and you lean down to place a gentle kiss to his hairline. “I do need to shower though, and then I’m all yours.” A very audible whine leaves his mouth and he pulls you down into his lap, and immediately shoves his face into your neck.

“Can’t you shower in the morning? I wanna keep holding you.”

You’re convinced your heart just melted in your chest from how sweet your boyfriend is. “How about you come sit in the bathroom while I shower? You can tell me about your day.”

“Okay!” He jumps up at that and your eyes widen at the sudden movement. “Jeez Matty, warn me next time.”

“I’m just really excited to see your boobs.” That comment earns him a slap against his chest and an eye roll.

“You act like you don’t see them whenever you want, kid.” “I could have 24/7 visual of those things and it still wouldn’t be enough. Same thing with that pretty face of yours.”

You would never understand how he could be so sweet, yet disgusting at the same time.

You make it to the bathroom, and Matt places you back down on the floor before walking over to the shower to start the water for you. “I’ll be right back, baby.” He places a quick kiss to your lips and exits the bathroom.

When he returns, he’s holding a pair of fresh love sweatpants, clean underwear, and an old t-shirt of his that you stole and claimed as yours a long time ago. “Ughh I love you!” You can’t help but exclaim before pulling him closer to plant another quick kiss to his lips. “I love you way more though. No argument there.”

And Matt really believed that.

The love he felt for you was soul consuming. It was overwhelming in the best way possible.

“That’s not fair. I love you just as much as you love me! You’re the sun in my freaking sky Matthew.” You pout. Pout. And Matt can’t help but gush at how fucking cute you are.

He looks down at you, your arms wrapped around his waist, and he swears to himself that he would be the sun in your sky for the rest of your lives. And he knew what you meant by that, but being the sun in someone’s sky is nothing compared to being someone’s moon.

And you were his moon. Full of love and hope. The most nurturing person he knew, always taking care of others before yourself, especially him and his brothers. And you were always so calm, which helped a lot when he was on the verge of a panic attack.

“Okay, sweet girl. Let’s get you in the shower so we can go to bed. I know you’re probably exhausted.” He softly pats your hip, and moves so you can get undressed and finally shower.

Later that night when you finally retreat to bed, your head lies on Matt’s chest, sleep calling your name so softly you can barely keep your eyes open. Matt just watches you. He watches as your chest slowly rises and falls, and your breathing slows. He watches as you curl into his side even more. But he knew you weren’t quite asleep yet, because this man knew every minor detail about you.

So, when you reach for his hand and bring it to your lips before squeezing it against your chest, where it would stay for the rest of the night, he knew you were finally asleep.

[adviceformefromme]

Personal health hacks that have completely changed my life in the last 9 months.

Absolute number one is removing carbs from my diet. I had THE WORST crashes and lethargy every single day after my morning oat meal, after my carb heavy lunch, and carb heavy dinner. Despite being vegan my body lacked nutrients and calories from under-eating being plant-based and carb-overloading. 

Introducing grass-fed meat and high quality eggs into my diet. Red meat gets such bad press in the media, but personally it has given me energy, strength and I feel much better eating this in moderation. 

Little exercise each day. Not killing myself with a hardcore workout and then not being able to move for rest of the week (which I was doing previously). I now do a little each day. 1.5 - 2mile run most days, and daily stretches and weights at home. Nothing crazy, but a little goes a long way and I find it much easier to be consistent doing smaller bouts on my own schedule daily. 

Hormone health, ensuring I am keeping my hormones balanced. I make watermelon juice daily with 1.5 heaped tablespoons of flaxseed. Alongside that. I take omega 3, DIM, Selenium, Iodine, Vitamin D +K2, Evening primrose oil for womens health. I eat foods that support healthy hormones, broccoli, carrots, sunflower seeds and removed the foods that cause imbalances (carbs, sugars).

Removing all stress from my life. Including moving overseas, deleting social media and keeping my circle small but wholesome. 

Quit drinking alcohol. Initially I thought I would have the occasional drink but I truly have no desire anymore. My life is significantly better for not drinking. My body never responded well to booze. 

Sleeping properly for 7-9 hrs per night. Meditating for 1 hour before bed usually puts me in a completely zen mode for relaxation. That means my phone is switched off, I use a lavender pillow spray and light candles to set the mood for a goodnight sleep. 

Zeolite detox for heavy metals (currently in the process). I have Zeolith Med powder each day with water to flush out any toxins. 

Learning about gut microbiome, and probiotics..in the process of obtaining kefir grains to make my own batch. Making sauerkraut on weekends and introducing a wider variety of foods into my diet. 

These are completely personal and I can honestly say I feel better than ever. I wish I had done the above years ago, especially the carbs! I got a continuous glucose monitor of Amazon to see how my body was responding to carbs before I completely cut them off and I recommend doing this if you want to know more about how your body is reacting to glucose. 

*this all took time and effort, but once I removed the distractions, the meaningless socialising, the boozing, the scrolling I’ve had time to invest in myself + my health

[breannasfluff]

Pam calls the burner phone he picked up for jobs. “Is this weeding boy?”

“This is Dan,” he confirms, making a face at the nickname. 

“I’ve got another job for you. I will be out of the office for a few days and I’d like you to monitor my plants for me. And water.”

Danny is about to agree when he remembers DeeDee. “Is this a one-person job? Or do you need an extra helper?”

There’s a suspicious, extended silence on the phone. “Do you know someone?”

“Personally guarantee them myself.”

More silence. “I’ll pay you full and them half. But if something goes wrong I’m holding you accountable.”

Luckily, Pam can’t see Danny’s wince at the terms. DeeDee better be on her best behavior. “Sounds good. What’s the pay?”

“$50 a day for four days.”

“To water plants?” He can’t keep the incredulousness out of his voice. Not that it’s helping his cause.

Her answer is full of suppressed laughter. “I have a lot of plants.”

They figure out the last of the details–same warehouse, but Danny doesn’t need to show up in the middle of the night this time. Well, he’s getting DeeDee out of his room if nothing else. 

The two stand inside the warehouse, staring. 

“Wow.” DeeDee rocks on her heels, head craning to look around them. “How much did you say this was worth?”

“$50 a day for me, $25 for you.”

“Shit, man, you should have negotiated higher.”

Read the rest here!

[sleeepybeary]

☆ 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐒 ☆

𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓: Agatha has never been one for pets. However, upon some particularly lucky night, she seems to allow it just this once.

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒: poorly written (to my standards anyway), haven't read through it properly, so spelling errors are possible :I

𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓: 950

Having found the heating from your fireplace to be far too smothering as it seemed to flood the entirety of your small house, you had graciously spared ten minutes of your day to abandon the shell of which you were living under to gather some fresh air for your burning lungs.

However, as much as those ten minutes were originally to be at least half an hour, it was drastically shrunken to only a third at the capture of something wrenching.

So, with an oddly shaped stash hidden behind one of the dress coats your girlfriend possessed, you carefully slipped back into your home and made a quick yet cautious shuffle over to the central living space, also known as the last place you saw said girlfriend.

Upon entryway came the attention of Agatha. The woman glanced over her shoulder at you, her jaw pressing into the curve of her collarbone as her eyes ran their length upon you. A small furrow digs deeply between the span of her eyebrows, especially as she takes in your suspicious stance and particularly bulked up appearance to one half of your body.

“What is it, love?” She spoke, shifting to sit up better to meet your gaze properly, her shoulders falling back in a relaxing state.

“I have something I need to show you” You had spoken in a tone that emitted a quiet wisp of caution, your tone faltering to one below your average.

“O.. okay” Agatha had nodded, glancing away momentarily as her brain reached out to soothe a spurt of confusion. “So…?”

“So…” you copied her word, tugging back the lapel to the jacket wrapped gently around the object of your care.

A silk of black heaven came to life, the glistening of a moistened nose pointed outward in a sniffle as whiskers quivered against the contrast of warm air from the freezing world outside.

A cat of all things was what you had obtained.

You observed how Agatha’s facial expressions contorted, how a pensive fog coated the round of her eyes; her jaw tightens. “Why do you have a cat..?”

A timid smile tugged at the corners of your lips, your sights flicking between your girlfriend and the cat. “She needed help, Agatha. She was caught in your lavender, cold and wet from the recent rain”

“This isn't the first time you've tried to spring an animal on me before” Agatha had sighed, her slandered fingers tracing up the slim bridge of her nose before pinching it at the conjunction between her eyes.

“I didn't know the bird had bowel issues… but that's besides the point! Can't you see, this cat needs us!”

“But we don't need it, Y/n”

With a roll of your eyes, you shuffle closer, shifting so you're sitting in a way that almost presses up against Agatha, your elbow just scraping hers. “Stroke her”

“What?”

“I said stroke her” you insisted, motioning your arms forward to bring the fluff ball of an animal up and closer to her reach.

The cat had yet to stir from its peaceful sleep, a slight purring snore audible from up close, even as Agatha had hesitantly placed the open of her palm against its head, her fingers nestling between its drawn up ears.

Monitoring the way Agatha's hand mowed over the lengths of fur in a rhythmic pattern, you began to tilt the cat wrapped in the thicker material towards the woman beside you until she was holding the animal.

Having planted the cat within your girlfriend's arms, you cheekily grinned. “Stay here? I just need to grab a drink”

All Agatha could do was hum, her eyes boring into your own. Her eyes exiled as radiance of boredom, though the flux movement of her hand against the chin to the feline said otherwise.

Taking your time, you stood from the sofa and took a casual waltz to fetch a glass of water from just the room over.

However, soon enough, you had found yourself relaxed against the length of a doorframe. Your glass nestled within the grasp of your fingers and water racing down your throat in an on pour as you took delicate sips at a time.

You stalked from your new self-designated post with a curious gaze, observing and monitoring the way Agatha was interacting with the cat.

Though, minutes pass at a time before the soft of a drowsy meow and a gentle coo meet in a harmony - one that was sure to make home in your memory.

“Y/n?” Agatha had called, shifting slightly to peer through the kitchen doorway, her eyelids wrapping around her eyes in a rampant expression, a half drawn smile appearing in accordance.

“Yes, love?” reciprocating her smile, you moved to stand over her, a hand on her shoulder as your eyes met those of the golden ones in Agatha’s lap.

“Eve”

“Eve?” You furrowed your eyebrows, looking down upon Agatha as if she was having a moment of hysteria. “What's that mean?”

“Like All Hallows’ Eve”

“I'm… not sure I follow you here”

Agatha had rolled her eyes, her thumb and index finger moving to line the curve of the cat's ear. “You want to keep the cat, right? I'm just suggesting a name”

Your lips part slightly, mind finally clocking into place as the figuratively placed light-bulb flickers on. “Oh!” You began, breathing out an airy laugh on the premises of some sort of awkwardness “I mean… if you're letting me keep her, then I wouldn't be opposed to you naming her…”

Agatha shook her head, leaning her head back to look up at you from her seated position, her lips puckered. “Let us seal it with a kiss”

[zenlesszonezero]

Join Zenless Zone Zero with Tsukishiro Yanagi, the deputy leader of Hollow Special Operations Section 6! Beneath her ordinary office lady exterior lies a meticulous, emotionally intelligent big sister to the team.

[b2cute]

Tense

matt and fem!reader

warnings: use of y/n, fluff, pet names, that’s it enjoy :)

word count: idk

*y/ns pov*

I drop my bags almost immediately after entering the triplets house. It was finally the weekend and they, mostly Matt, invited me to spend the night after work. I wasted no time saying yes since I was free and find myself now heading up the stairs into their LA house. I throw my shoes off nearby the second case of stairs and walking to Matt’s bathroom to freshen up.

I figured they were all in their rooms doing their own thing so I decided to throw a movie on the couch as to not bother them. I across through netflix until a show caught my eye as I begin to watch.

*matts pov*

It’s been about two hours since y/n was supposed to be home and honestly, she was starting to worry me. She hasn’t entered my room at all or contacted me. Ending the livestream, I head over to the kitchen to grab my phone and call her when I see an arm with painted acrylics hanging from the white plush couch.

I smiled to myself and headed over to see y/n sprawled out on top of the pillows in what seemed like the most uncomfortable position known to man. “Y/n, y/n sweetheart come to my room it’s freezing out here” I whisper in an attempt to soothe her already furrowed eyebrows. “What?” She questions, rubbing her eyes with her hands and lifting herself off the couch. She immediately winces from the pain in her back. “Let’s go sweet girl, I’ll take care of you just get changed and go lay in bed” I whisper, leaning over to plant a short but sweet kiss on her lower cheek.

With that y/n gets up from bed and heads over to my room while I tidy up the living room and take her phone to place on the charger. I head over to the kitchen fill up a cold glass of water how she likes it and shuffle into the bedroom.

The lights were dim with my computer screen flashing white, and the black silk covers were hidden with y/n on top of them. I make my way over to the monitor and shut the computer down as I change out of my clothes, leaving my boxers on. I look over to see y/n tensed up on the bed with a distressed expression painted on her tired face. “What’s bothering you, my love? Talk to me” I say as I climb into the bed hovering over her. “My back, it’s hurting from god knows what” she replies. My heart aches to see her in pain. Whenever I’m sick she calls out of work to take care of me, and here I was feeling helpless. “Oh baby” I whisper leaning to give her a light hug where she tenses up even more under my touch.

After a moment of holding y/n, an idea pops up in my head. “Baby, can you lay on your stomach for me please?” I ask, my face bright from the idea. Confused, y/n turns around nonetheless and rests on her stomach, her head turned to the right facing Matt. “Okay, this might hurt at first but then it’s going to feel good, I promise” I reassure and I slowly straddle my poor girl.

“Matt, what are you doing, I’m not in the mood” She rolls her eyes and lets out a soft chuckle. “No, baby, not what you think we’re doing just close your eyes and relax— here” I hand her the remote lying next to my pillow, “play some music that will soothe you.

Y/n lets out a soft sigh as she hits a playlist with some of her favorite songs, the first one being my personal favorite too. I let out a content hum and I place my hands and the hem of her hoodie and slowly lift it, careful not to hurt her.

I get up momentarily to grab some moisturizer and come back to see y/n almost drifting to sleep once again. I return to straddle her, resting my weight on her butt to not hurt her, and sink. I begin to lather the moisturizer and carefully carefully spread it through her back.

Y/n tenses up again and furrows her eyebrows, as a way of saying “Too rough.” I quickly stop my tracks and go light as I begin on her lower back, kneading the muscles and massaging them. “Baby, you’re so tight, what’s been bothering you” I question, she shrugs before responding. “I can’t pinpoint exactly what it is, work has been overwhelming, not living with my mom and dad anymore, it’s just starting to get to me a bit, you know?” her response was just a little bit louder than the music behind us “Yes, baby, of course, I understand, moving to LA with Chris and Nick was the last thing I expected to happy to me, but look at here we are, as long as you’re happy with the decisions you make, there should be no reason for you to feel stressed about it, and don’t bottle it up and take it out on yourself, please come talk to me right away, my love” I reassure her and I move my hands up to the middle of her back. She lets out a soft nod and smiles as I work my hands into a circular motion, getting all the knots and undoing them.

After five minutes or so, y/n starts to relax her shoulders, perfect for me to reach over and massage them myself. She lets out a breath that’s been held and immediately relaxes under my touch, for the first time today. As I smile to myself. I bend over to kiss her on the back of her neck, hugging her from behind.

We stayed like this for a while, drifting off to sleep when a loud bang was heard from the kitchen. I quickly sit up, causing y/n to return to consciousness. “What was that” she asks, her voice groggy. “I’ll go check baby,” I say as I crawl out of the bed, the blanket never leaving us.

I head over to the kitchen, annoyed, as I stare at Chris and Nick laughing their asses off. “What’s so hilarious you had to be this loud” I groan, still half-asleep. They just stared at each other momentarily before laughing again, Nick holding onto the counter for stability while Chris cried. “It's just this—” again cut off by more laughing. I glare at the two until I notice the grip of Chris’s phone and a silhouette of my bed displayed. I walk over there and snatch the phone from Chris’s hand, only to see a picture of me and y/n asleep.

I bite back a laugh as I roll my eyes in annoyance, turning to my room. “You guys are ridiculous” I yawn, and all you can hear is their snickers fading away.

I enter the dim room to see y/n perched up against the headboard, her phone in her hand. “Everything alright, Matt?” she asks, tilting her head slightly. “Everything’s fine, baby, let’s just go back to sleep please” I groan, my voice was becoming tired and my eyelids were fighting to stay open. “I’m energized and my back feels amazing. Come here let me make you feel better” she grins, steering and opening her arms.

I waste no time practically jumping onto the bed. I bring my head onto y/n’s chest, my cheeks resting on her breast and my legs on top of hers. My arms snake around her waist and my eyes shut due to the lack of sleep I've had. “Get some rest, pretty boy” she whispers. Y/n’s hand played with my messy hair as she reached over to plant a kiss on my forehead. “Mm- love you” I mumble before finally resting, safe in y/n's arms.

The end hoes 😜

taglist:

@mqttittude @luverboychris @knowingnothingnoel @whicked-hazlatwhore @mattsdinosweater @n00dl3zzz @sophssturn @sstvrnioloo @sturnioloenthusiast @lolasturniolo @mattsleftnipple03 @ilovemenwithlonghairr @lacysturniolo @guccifrog @hearts4chriss @sttzee @stunza @fawned01 @sillysillygyal @skyslondon @stu2719962

[yunoclips]

“Don’t be nervous markie. I would never hurt you or do anything that you don’t like.” You say in a comforting tone as you hover over your boyfriends cock. You try to be as assuring as you can considering Mark is a virgin.

Losing his virginity is a very big deal for him and you feel honored that he trusts you enough to go through this with him. Mark is such a person pleaser and you know he struggles with communicating his needs and wants.

You’re here to change that though. This experience is all about him and you plan on making it unforgettable.

“You want this right mark?” You ask.

He nods his head but that’s not enough for you. You need him to be positive and confident in his decisions.

“I need words baby.” You continue.

“I-i want this. Just a little nervous t-that’s all” He says in a shaky jumble of words. His chest is rising rapidly and sweat is starting to form on his hair line. This won’t do.

You scoop two fingers under his chin and tilt his head up so that he has no other choice but to look you in the eye. Then you lean your head in to the point where you can feel his breath fanning over your mouth. The tips of your noses touching.

“You want this right?” You say. More firm this time.

“Yes”. He responds quickly.

“You want this because you want to feel good. I know you like to feel good baby.” You pause leaning into his ear to whisper. You can hear his breath hitch.

“Always making everyone else feel good but never yourself. All i’ve ever wanted was to make it about you.” You continue. Placing open mouthed kisses to the side of his face causing his body to slightly jerk. You separate your lips from his cheek and move your head to whisper in his other ear.

“I promise it’ll feel good. I’ll make it nice and special just for you. You deserve it all markie.”

And before he’s able to answer, you sink down on his cock. You lift yourself up planting two hands on his chest. Monitoring his face closely checking for any signs of discomfort. He lays there with his mouth agape. Taking a slow deep breath before he begins to breathe erratically. His eyes roll back a little before they refocus on your face.

You try to lift yourself just a bit but two hands planting your hips down prevents you from doing so.

“W-wait , fuck please just w-wait. I-i think i’m gonna c-cum already fuck” He says in a panicked manner as he stares at the ceiling slightly zoned out.

"It's okay baby , whenever you're ready." With that you continue your motions. Bouncing up and down in a slow pace. Mark's moans turn from mewls and whimpers into choked gurgles. You could see tears start to form along his water line. A small line of drool dribbles down his cheek as he continues to have his mouth open.

You could feel him throbbing inside of you. His abdomen contracting in harsh patterns. His thighs were constantly flexing themselves. He was really close. He wasn't able to form a coherent word in his mind. All he could feel was an earth shattering pleasure he has never felt before.

Leaning down while continuing your up and down movements , Your mouth latches to one of his hardened nipples. Carefully sucking the bud in your mouth and running your tongue around it in circular patterns.

While you use your mouth on him you bring your other hand up to pinch the opposite nipple.

The combination of you bouncing on his cock and his nipples being stimulated sends him over the edge.

It begins with a completely stiffened body. On the outside it looks like his entire body had caught a bad cramp from how stiff he was. All you could hear was gurgled noises. As if he was choking on his own saliva. His eyes went completely cross eyed. In his world everything stopped.

His ears were ringing. His heart threatening to beat out of his chest. The feeling in his stomach was so intense that he stopped breathing for a second. Everything was all too much at once , and before he knew it his world went black.

When he regains his conscious he opens his eyes. Staring at the ceiling for a bit before turning his head. There you were sitting beside him softly caressing your hands through his messy hair. Before he had a chance to ask any questions, you spoke up.

"Hi" You say in a light hearted tone. Cheeky smile planted across your face going from ear to ear. Voice as smooth as honey.

"Hey." He replies with a sluggish smile painted across his face. He is so in love.

[derinthescarletpescatarian]

Hi Derin! Sorry if this has been asked before, but I'm amazed by the vast array of cultures and gender norms in TTO:U. How did you come up with all of it?

I just thought "hey wouldn't it be funny if there was a little guy" and then made them, and thought "hey what norms would exist in a culture under these conditions" and then made those.

In all seriousness, most of my worldbuilding comes down to tearing down assumptions. Brennans exist because I fucking hate gender and I'm sick of seeing the gender binary or "gender binary Plus Nonbinary Extra People (who still live in a world that assumes a gender binary)" as some immutable natural law that all societies will forever cling to, and I wanted to make a society that was harder for readers to inevitably sort into a binary as they always, always fucking do. (Partial success; I have seen some absolutely rancid takes on the TTOU gender ternary that make me want to break my computer.) The array of different cultural family structures exist because those are different ways that societies can be built on smaller units. The Arboreae and the two space elevators and the Khemin exist because that is a potential response to a critical climate crisis.

On top of that, most of my ideas are stolen. I once read a short story about people who lived under the ocean on an alien planet and spent most of their time just cruising around the ocean in big bubble-like biological submersibles and that was their job, because their submersibles cleaned the water by feeding on things in it; they were employed to be part of the ecosystem. The Khemin, wandering about the ocean as both environmental monitors and trash-gatherers, were inspired by this; from there, I just thought on what sort of family structure and traditions such a group would develop for a stable society. When I was a teeny tiny child I saw a guy on Ripley's Believe It Or Not who was trying to build a self-sustaining floating island to sail around the world on. Absolute disaster of a plan, man knew shit about ecology or farming, but a bit later on I got really into swamps for awhile and started thinking of using plant roots as water filtration systems and, with an eventual biotechnology degree, multiple years hyperfixating on ecology and evolution, and touch of Magic Future Genetic Engineering, that eventually became the Arboreae. The social structure of Hylara is somewhat inspired by CJ Cherryh's azi, particularly the way that Florian and Catlan are raised in Cyteen. The Hylarans are very much not azi (the azi being slaves brainwashed from birth via hypnosis) but the way they are raised fed into building a society batch-raised by robots and each other with no natural family unit. You can just steal concepts from the real world or from scifi and build them into your own thing it's fine.

Anthropologically speaking, the golden feature of any social structure or cultural practice is *stability*. This is the one feature upon which everything is judged. Just or unjust, productive or unproductive, authoritarian or free, structured or unstructured, when developing a society your key thing to worry about is "is this stable? Would a society survive for multiple generations on this norm?" and if your Weird Idea isn't stable, either ditch it or -- far more interesting -- adjust it and your parameters until it is. Different norms will be stable in different environments and built on different histories -- Khemin and Hylaran norms are not interchangeable because of the environments, tech, political climate and reproductive methods the two cultures have. But if it's stable, you can throw in whatever weird shit you want.

[daughterofyore]

fwb ellie roomate x f!reader turned lovers

a.n; lowk i'd love to make this a series ┐( ˘_˘)┌ summary;your fwb room mate ellie believes you need to be punished for teasing her, and maybe after she'll admit her love for you w.c; 2.3k c.w; r!teasing, showering together, dom!ellie, shower head use, unspoken consent, fingering r!recieving, ellie referring to her strap as 'her', dumbification of r!, punishment, clit overstimulation, r!sub, rough, ass grabbing, degradation, exhibitionism, slapping ass, scissoring, petnames; babe, good girl, pretty, doll, baby, sweetie, aftercare, kinda toxic (ellie won't confirm what they are), lmk if there is more

You heard her footsteps before she reached the door. Heavy boots stamping up the long, rickety hallway, keys jingling as they turned the lock in the door. You could hear her groan from the door as she shuffled in, kicked off her boots and closed the cheap wood behind her. You stood up from your desk, you had finished lectures hours ago and got home early, which meant the little pixel world demanded your attention. Monitor screen still sitting on the cosy game of Stardew Valley, you headed for the kitchen. A pretty decorated space, an area in which you had poured love and money in too. It was adorned with plants, sweet trinkets and cooking ware to match the 'vibe'. A little round table sat in the middle of the kitchen, two chairs either side and a vase with hydrangeas in the middle. You had made her dinner, a black forest gateau sitting beside it, frosted in delicate shapes with cherries in the middle. She smiled when she saw you, straightening her tired back. She watched intently as you undid the tinfoil covering the plate of penne, and set it onto the table with a knife and fork. Her lips curved upwards in a grateful smile, quickly followed by a tender kiss to your forehead as she pulled out her chair and sat down. She smelled of sweat and grime, she needed a shower.

Or perhaps you both needed a shower.

You knew the game you were playing, and you also knew she'd bite at the bait. She was tired, true, so you'd let her eat in peace before you began your night of terror. Tease, tease, tease until she can't control herself any longer. You washed dishes as she ate in silence, the tension palpable. Yesterday the pair of you had fucked so viciously that the next door neighbours had to bang on your door for you to stop, your cunt was still tender after it.

Right now, you had on a tiny little pink tank top, lacy frills decorating the hems and bloomers which were a little too small to match. You could feel her eyes roving your body, how the shorts were riding just a bit too high up your ass cheeks, how the tank top sat wrapped around your waist and your tits protruded above the top. She was downing that pasta as fast as she could, seeing you looking so irresistible had her on edge. She had to put you back in your place, because who the fuck said you could walk around like that and think you wouldn't get fucked? You were leaning over the sink, ass out. You weren't trying to be careful, water had splashed over your top and accentuated your hard nipples. You could only smirk, knowing exactly what was to come next.

Just as you finished the dishes you came over to the table where she ate, leaning down and kissing the top of her head, ruffling her hair. Giving her the perfect view down your cleavage. 'I'm gonna get a shower Els, I won't be long.' Ellie let loose a long, arduous breath. You knew what you were doing. She was sure of it. And it made her all the more determined to teach you a fucking lesson. Water on your top so she could see your body, she couldn't help but laugh, you thought you were clever. She listened as you closed the bathroom door, pulled back the shower curtain and turned on the shower head. She had finished her meal, a delicious one at that, and now she was making her way to the door of the bathroom you shared. The apartment wasn't large, you walked into an open living room and kitchen through the front door, and to your left was a hallway that led to the small bathroom and two bedrooms. She knew this place would be a shell if it was just her living here, but you had turned it into a home. You treated her as if she were your wife, she couldn't possibly wonder how you would act if you made it to that. But right now, you needed to be punished for how you acted. She stood outside the door, listening to you hum in the shower before she slowly turned the handle and walked in. She wasn't trying to be quiet necessarily, but she did want to give you a surprise. It was the least you could do after making her so fucking wet.

You were still humming in the shower, whether you knew she was there or not, she didn't care. She opened up a drawer in the cabinet that was filled with toys, pulled out a 6.5inch strap, her favourite. Expertly she undid her pants, letting them fall to the ground along with her boxers. As she adjusted the strap to be flush against her, she pulled off her top and left herself in only her white sports bra. She was in too much of a rush to fuck you to bother with its clasps. She could see your silhouette behind the curtain, divine. So delicious and hard to resist, she needed every inch of you beneath her. You were hers, she'd make fucking sure you knew it too.

She stepped towards the curtain, and peered inside, watching you with your back to her as you washed your hair. God, you were perfect. Supple curves and a perfect ass with gorgeous tits to match, she was going to make sure you never wanted to leave or find another woman. Without any warning, she pulled back the curtain and stepped into the shower with you. You felt a warmth behind you and movement so you turned around, letting out a small yelp of surprise to find Ellie standing there. Your eyes travelled down her toned torso, to the monster strap sitting between her legs. Subconsciously you had wrapped an arm around yourself and a hand had dove to your pussy, her eyes travelled up and down your body before meeting your eyes.

"Move your hands, babe." She stood before you, legs spread and arms crossed, she waited, but you knew she wouldn't wait forever. Seems like your teasing worked a little too well. Tentatively you removed your arm and hand, baring yourself before her. She licked her lips subconsciously, "you thought you could do all that, and get away with it doll?" You gulped, looking up at her. Without warning she took a step to you and wrapped a calloused hand around your neck, smirking at the surprise on your face. "Who do you belong to?" You didn't answer and promptly received a hard slap on your ass, stinging and leaving a red print. You winced and choked out a hoarse 'You'. She smiled, kissing your cheek and you felt your legs get weak.

'You're just a dumb little slut begging to be fucked huh?' She smiled, her fingers rising to your left nipple and pinching it between her finger and thumb. She let go of your neck as she pulled and twisted at your nipple, and instead that hand went down to explore your pussy. She leaned in, leaving hot kisses along the small of your neck while her fingers pulled you apart and found purchase inside you. Strong digits curling inside and creating a steady in-out-in-out rhythm. She was relentless. 'Say 'I'm a dumb slut'.' She raised her head to watch you, while her finger quickened their pace inside you and your nipple was tugged at harder.

'I'm a dumb slut.' You mumble, fuck you loved this. She made you feel so stupid and needy. You wanted to melt in her touch.

'That's it pretty, tell me how much you want me.' You wince as her fingers spread you, she has added a third and you can feel the heat in your core double.

'I want you so bad Els - please.' You gasped, moaning as she curled her fingers at just the right spot, you wanted to fall down there and then. 'Fuck! Please- please let me come, please-'

'Show me how bad you want it.' She took her fingers out of your cunt, gave them a quick lick and smiled, tasting you. 'Open your mouth.' You obliged, and she stuck her fingers into your mouth. 'Suck.' You obeyed, sucking and tasting yourself on her digits. She watched you intently, biting her lip and finding it near impossible to control herself. You didn't notice her grabbing the shower head, but when you opened your eyes to see her changing the stream to the jet, a straight, forceful stream of water. She took her fingers out of your mouth, kissing you instead as she pressed the shower head straight to your clit. You damn near screamed at the sensitivity, moving backwards but she wrapped a strong arm around your waist and held you flush to her. She watched you squirm and writhe in her grip, but she forced you to take the pressure of the water against your clit. She had no remorse. 'Take it slut, you know you love it. Look at you, helpless and fucking dumb from me touching you.' You only moaned in response, eyes rolling from the intensity of the torture you were being forced to endure.

Ellie grabbed your waist, still holding the shower head to your clit as she turned you to face the wall. She kicked your legs apart with her foot, lining her strap up against your already used hole. She thrust in with no warning, the water still pounding against your clit and her dick drilling you. 'Look at you, a slut for my cock.' She smiled behind you, pulling your hair into her grasp as she used it to hold you in place. You couldn't think, you could barely speak. The feeling of being filled and your clit being abused was impossible to ignore, much less control the urge to come all over her. She pounded into you, over, and over, and over, and over again. Wet skin slapping as she thrust into you over and over again. Her bra was soaked, her tits clearly visible through the fabric as they jiggled with her every movement. She was watching your ass and tits bounce with her every thrust, adoring what a mess she had made you into.

'Cum, I'm gonna cum Els-' Your moans grew louder and more laboured, this just seemed to make her fuck you even harder.

'Cum on my fucking cock baby, cum all over it.' Her words pushed you over the edge, orgasm wracked through your being and she had to support you through the climax with an arm around your middle. You started to squirm again from the pressure of the shower head, she smirked as you whined and gave your clit one last slap. She let you catch your breath before she took off her strap and sat on the bottom of the bath with her legs spread. 'I made you cum, now return the favour.' You nodded with no hesitation, hungry for her. You quickly and expertly manoeuvred yourself to straddle her, and without warning she began rubbing her cunt against yours, stimulating you all over again. It was excruciatingly good, like a drug. You worked your hips against hers, the pair of you moving in harmony. She gritted her teeth and through moans she rutted against you repeatedly. She was gripping the bath ledge, and you were bracing yourself on the bath's floor. 'Fuck..' escaped through her lips as she watched you move on top of her. You turned her on too much, you had way too much fucking control over her. She was so close. You picked up your momentum, pushing past your throbbing sensitive clit and rutting into her. She gasped, moaning under her breath, 'just like that baby, mmdon't stop,' you went faster, her knuckles turning white on the bath's ledge as you pushed her over the edge. You moaned, feeling so overstimulated that you came again, and with her.

The pair of you sat there, still and breathing heavy. She raised a hand and rubbed your back, patting your ass as it travelled down. 'Good girl.' She said breathlessly, before sitting you down and grabbing the shower head. She turned it to a 'rain' stream, gently washing you down. Her calloused hands were soft on your skin, and when she was content she had cleaned you thoroughly, she set about shampooing her hair and washing herself while you watched. She had discarded her bra somewhere between her fucking you and torturing you.

When she washed the last suds from her hair, she offered you a hand and helped you get out of the shower. She kissed your shoulder, handing you a towel to wrap around yourself while she grabbed one herself. You made to go into your room and she grabbed your hand. 'You are staying with me tonight pretty.'

'Really? We only do that when we fuck in there-'

'I want you too. I want you with me.' You looked at her, so tired but feeling so content. Her words sparked a joy within you, but a part of you had to dig deeper. Why wouldn't she let you in before? Why were you strictly friends with benefits or whatever the fuck she had called it. Why was she changing now?

But the way she stood in the hallway, her hand holding yours and her eyes pleading, how could you really say no?

[reasonsforhope]

"Namibia is the driest country in Sub-Saharan Africa, and home to two of the world’s most ancient deserts, the Kalahari and the Namib. The capital, Windhoek, is sandwiched between them, 400 miles away from the nearest perennial river and more than 300 miles away from the coast. Water is in short supply.

It’s hard to imagine life thriving in Windhoek, yet 477,000 people call it home, and 99 per cent of them have access to drinking water thanks to technology pioneered 55 years ago on the outskirts of the city. Now, some of the world’s biggest cities are embracing this technology as they adapt to the harshest impacts of climate change. But Namibia leads the way.

How did this come about? In the 1950s, Windhoek’s natural resources struggled to cope with a rapidly growing population, and severe water shortages gripped the city. But disaster forced innovation, and in 1968 the Goreangab Water Reclamation Plant in Windhoek became the first place in the world to produce drinking water directly from sewage, a process known as direct potable reuse (DPR). 

That may sound revolting, but it’s completely safe. Dr Lucas van Vuuren, who was among those who pioneered Windhoek’s reclamation system, once said that “water should not be judged by its history, but by its quality”. And DPR ensures quality. 

This is done using a continuous multi-barrier treatment devised in Windhoek during eight years of pilot studies in the 1960s. This process – which has been upgraded four times since 1968 – eliminates pollutants and safeguards against pathogens by harnessing bacteria to digest the human waste and remove it from the water. This partly mimics what happens when water is recycled in nature, but Windhoek does it all in under 24 hours...

Pictured: These ultrafiltration membranes help to remove bacteria, viruses and pathogens. Image: Margaret Courtney-Clarke

“We know that we have antibiotics in the water, preservatives from cosmetics, anti-corrosion prevention chemicals from the dishwasher,” Honer explains. “We find them and we remove them.”

Honer adds that online instruments monitor the water continuously, and staff ensure that only drinking water that meets World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines is sent to homes. If any inconsistencies are detected, the plant goes into recycle mode and distribution is halted until correct values are restored. 

“The most important rule is, and was, and always will be ‘safety first’,” says Honer.  The facility has never been linked to an outbreak of waterborne disease, and now produces up to 5.5m gallons of drinking water every day – up to 35 per cent of the city’s consumption.

Namibians couldn’t survive without it, and as water shortages grip the planet, Windhoek’s insights and experience are more important than ever.

Interest from superpowers across the globe

In recent years, delegations from the US, France, Germany, India, Australia, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates have visited Windhoek seeking solutions to water shortages in their own countries. 

Megadrought conditions have gripped the US since 2001, and the Colorado River – which provides 40 million people with drinking water – has been running at just 50 per cent of its traditional flow. As a result, several states including Texas, California, Arizona and Colorado are beginning to embrace DPR.

Troy Walker is a water reuse practice leader at Hazen and Sawyer, an environmental engineering firm helping Arizona to develop its DPR regulations. He visited Windhoek last year. “It was about being able to see the success of their system, and then looking at some of the technical details and how that might look in a US facility or an Australian facility,” he said. “[Windhoek] has helped drive a lot of discussion in industry. [Innovation] doesn’t all have to come out of California or Texas.”

Pictured: The internal pipes and workings of Namibia's DPR plant. As water becomes scarcer in some parts, countries are looking to DPR for solutions. Image: Margaret Courtney-Clarke

Namibia has also helped overcome the biggest obstacle to DPR – public acceptance. Disgust is a powerful emotion, and sensationalist ‘toilet to tap’ headlines have dismantled support for water reuse projects in the past. Unfortunately, DPR’s biggest strength is also its biggest weakness, as the speed at which water can re-enter the system makes it especially vulnerable to prejudice, causing regulators to hesitate. “Technology has never been the reason why these projects don’t get built – it’s always public or political opposition,” says Patsy Tennyson, vice president of Katz and Associates, an American firm that specialises in public outreach and communications.

That’s why just a handful of facilities worldwide are currently doing DPR, with Windhoek standing alongside smaller schemes in the Philippines, South Africa and a hybrid facility in Big Spring, Texas. But that’s all changing. Drought and increased water scarcity worldwide are forcing us to change the way we think about water. 

Now, the US is ready to take the plunge, and in 2025, El Paso Water will begin operating the first ‘direct to distribution’ DPR facility in North America, turning up to 10m gallons of wasterwater per day into purified drinking water – twice as much as Windhoek. San Diego, Los Angeles, California, as well as Phoenix, Arizona are also exploring the technology."

Of course, DPR is not a silver bullet in the fight against climate change. It cannot create water out of thin air, and it will not facilitate endless growth. But it does help cities become more climate resilient by reducing their reliance on natural sources, such as the Colorado River. 

As other nations follow in Namibia’s footsteps, Windhoek may no longer take the lead after almost six decades in front.

“But Windhoek was the first,” Honer reminds me. “No one can take that away.”"

-via Positive.News, August 30, 2023